St. Paul's Anglican Church
Antigonish
NS

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The Parish of Three Harbours belongs to the Anglican Church of Canada. The Anglican Church came into being during the Reformation, and draws from both Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. We are a sacramental church with ordained clergy. We are a wide tent, embracing a range of viewpoints, understandings, and styles of worship. The Parish of Three Harbours celebrates and embraces our rich Anglican heritage and also explores new forms of worship.

At heart, Christianity is a spiritual path that guides us to wholeness, healing, and wisdom. We all yearn to know we belong and we long to be--to become our fullest self. As Christians, we believe (trust) that God's unconditional and saving love has revealed and given to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. This is our eternal touchstone and source of meaning. Our religious practices of worship, prayer, study, fasting and service encourage our spiritual growth to become people of compassion (holy love) whose lives embody Jesus' teachings, actions, and presence in the world. In short, we seek to be people who love God/the Divine with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We hope you will join us in community on this journey of faith, hope, and love.

What to Expect When You Walk in the Door

You will be greeted and invited to take a seat wherever you would like. We use the Book of Alternative Services (the green book you will find in the back of the pew in front of you) and a hymnal. There are times when we sit, times when we stand, and times when some (but not all of us) kneel. Please do what feels comfortable for you. There is no "right" or "wrong" way. Our liturgy includes singing, 2-3 readings from the Bible, a homily, prayers, confession (generally, but not every week), and the celebration of Holy Eucharist (Communion). From time to time, we use the Book of Common Prayer (older language). At Holy Trinity we celebrate Holy Eucharist twice per month. On the other two Sundays we say Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. You are welcome to participate as fully as you choose.

Download St. Paul's Anglican Church vCard with Service Times

Download Rector The Rev. Natasha Brubaker vCard

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Anglican Churches in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada

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https://www.parishofthreeharbours.org/

The Rev. Natasha Brubaker

Rector

(902) 863-5089

The Rev. Dr. Phillip Cooper, Associate Priest

46 Archie St
Antigonish, Nova Scotia
B2G 1L9

St. Paul's Anglican Church
96 Church St.
Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Worship Time:
11:00 am Sunday
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St. Mary-the-Virgin
1407 Summerside Road
Bayfield, Nova Scotia

Worship Times:
1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays of the month, 7:00 pm
2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, ​9 am

Winter schedule (January through March 17): 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 3:00 pm

Holy Trinity
16723 Hwy 316
Country Harbour Mines, Nova Scotia

Worship Times:
​1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, 9 am
2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, ​7 pm

Winter schedule (January through March 17): 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 3:00 pm

Service Times last updated on the 4th of January, 2024

The ​​​​​New to You Thrift Shop is located in the basement level of Holy Trinity Church and is accessible from the parking area.

Hours of operation are:
Monday: 1-3 pm & 7-9 pm
Tuesday: 1-3 pm
Wednesday: 1-3 pm
Thursday: 1-3 pm
Friday: 1-3 pm
Saturday: 1-3 pm

St. Paul's Anglican Church
Every 3rd Thursday -- Sunrise Lodge 116​

Survivors of Suicide Support Group @ St. Paul's Anglican Church
This facilitated group is for anyone who has lost someone by suicide. The group meets once per month (except for July and August) on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8:40 pm. Free. Open to all. To learn more please email us at rector3harbours@gmail.com​
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St. Mary-the-Virgin partners with the Bayfield Community Centre several times per year
to serve community meals. Before each meal, details will be posted to our Facebook page.

Baptism

If you are interested in receiving the Sacrament of Baptism for you or your child, please email us.

Weddings

All three of our churches are beautiful spaces in which to celebrate your marriage. To learn more about holding your wedding in our parish, please email us. The standard fee for a wedding is $200.

Funerals

The Parish of Three Harbours is here if you are seeking a church in which to hold a funeral and/or support at the time of death. Please contact the rector to learn more.

Cemeteries

Our parish has several historical and active cemeteries. ​​

St. Mary-the-Virgin and Holy Trinity have cemeteries that are still active. These cemeteries have been part of their communities for generations and are also of historical significance.

St. Paul's Anglican Church and St. James United Church work together to oversee the care and use of the 'Protestant Cemetery' on Cloverville Road in Antigonish.

There is a small historical cemetery located behind St. Paul's Church.

There is very small historical cemetery at Town Point cared for by the parish. The parish also manages the historical cemetery of Linwood in Antigonish County.

If you have inquiries about buying a burial plot or other questions regarding these cemeteries, please contact the rector at the above email address.

Holy Trinity

In 1834, the church on the hill became the first house of worship at Country Harbour Mines. By 1900, this structure was still serving the people, however the time for the old building was fast drawing to an end. Plans were being made for the new church which would soon become a reality. At a meeting held on the 25th of April 1905, the erection of this new church was discussed. The following motion was made, "That the work of the new Church begin this year and that a portion of it or all of it should be completed as soon as possible." By the end of 1906, the building was erected and services could then be held in the new church.

In spite of all efforts, there was a debt left to be paid. The people met this challenge willingly. In 1907, it was decided to take a collection at the church which would be used for this purpose: 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for children was requested. Harold Hudson was appointed Collector for an organ and to act as Secretary Treasurer for this project. By this time, they had apparently bought oilcloth and a stove for the church for which they also had to pay. Little by little, however, the church began to be improved through hard work and the constant dedication of the people.

At this time, the Stormont Anglican Church was still active but was experiencing some difficulty with its use by other denominations. It was settled beyond dispute that the church and graveyard were the property of the Church of England and acknowledged by the Baptists and Methodists. It was further decided that the respective denominations should be allowed to continue to use the building on condition that they help to keep it in repair and that in the event of their refusal, they were to discontinue the use of the building. Just what events transpired after 1909 is not quite clear, however, it appears to have been the decision of the people of Stormont to build a new church, a Union Church, which could be used by all denominations. In 1924, the new church was opened. The old Anglican Church, which had fallen into disrepair, was tom down. Some of the material, including the windows, were used in the new church.

In the 1950's, fire broke out in the church and the roof was partially burned. Men from all over the community went to assist in extinguishing the flames. Fortunately, they were able to do so. During the time that the roof was being repaired, services were held in Zion United Church, Crossroads. During the 1970's, a hall was built under the church which now serves for Sunday School, Willing Workers (A.C.W.) and public meetings. God has fostered the growth of the Church in this area. Always, it has been a place of refuge and with the work of the people, and God's blessing, it will continue to serve future generations.
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Stained Glass Window Memorials

In 1986 the first of a series of stained glass windows designed by Paul Blaney of Saint John New Brunswick, was installed at Holy Trinity. These windows are aids to worship and recount both the history of our faith and point to the eternal power of God at work amongst us through people of faith. The first window at the front of the Church over the celebrant's chair and visible at night with the aid of an exterior light represents God the Holy Trinity. In the background is God the Father's creation reflected in the evergreen trees which are native to Country Harbour and which provide now, as they have for generations, the livelihood of so many in the parish.

At the centre of the window is a depiction of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. He is robed and stands with his arms outstretched bidding all to come to him through the waters of Baptism and to share at his table, the altar beneath the window and adjacent to the font. Jesus stands over the axe and pick symbols of the labour of so many in Country Harbour. He is Lord of all. Above our Lord, is the depiction of a dove signifying the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The same dove is signified at the font which stands between the ambo/lectern (WORD OF GOD) and the altar (LORD'S TABLE). The Holy Spirit moves within the community of faith drawing us into the life and love of God, the Holy Trinity.

A series of eight windows were planned in 1987 for the sides and back of church, depicting the loving action of God through the people or saints who have responded to his call. Now, in 2010, we can see them in all their glory. First to the right is the window of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Christ Child. This nativity window continues the series of memorial windows with the person who responded with her "yes" to God as the scripture tells us "All generations shall call you blessed." The design of this window follows the English design found at Walsingham where, in 1061, Richeldis de Faverches, had a vision of Our Blessed Lady. She was told to build a replica of the house of the Holy Family and, when it was built, this house was panelled with wood and contained a wooden statue of an enthroned Virgin Mary with the child Jesus seated on her lap. This is now a place of great Anglican pilgrimage and a jewel among the religious sites in England and recalls the English origins of many Anglicans.

Across from this window and beside the lectern/pulpit you can see Saint Joseph the Worker, the spouse of Saint Mary-the-Virgin. He also is seated in similar style to his wife, and looks toward the Virgin and Child, holding the saw in one hand and the rod of Jesse in the other, signifying human work and the heritage of Jesus in the human family.

The other side windows depict Celtic saints who first brought the message and sacraments of Christ to the northern peoples of Britain, from whence came the English Catholic or Anglican Church. These saints are: Saints Aidan, Cuthbert, Patrick & Columba. Bringing us closer to the present age are the two windows at the back of the Church, Saint Francis of Assisi, who founded the worldwide fellowship of those who seek to follow a life of simple service in the Gospel and Bishop Hibbert Binney, the fourth bishop of Nova Scotia, under whose leadership Holy Trinity Parish was formed.
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St. Mary-the-Virgin

In Little River (later called Bayfield), interest in an Anglican church began in the early 1830’s. In the 1850’s, there was work on a new Church on the site of the present St. Mary’s Church. This building served the community of Bayfield for some forty years until it was destroyed in a fire in the late 1890’s. The Church of St-Paul-the-Apostle was also destroyed by a fire that year. The causes for these traumatic fires have not been recorded or discovered to date. Within months though, plans developed for the building of new church buildings in both communities. Each church was completed and paid for by 1902. St. Mary-the-Virgin was consecrated September 3, 1902 and St. Paul-the-apostle, the following day. The new St. Mary's being a classical wood gothic design at its beautiful location, overlooking Cape Breton and Cape George, was a fine large building for the community.

The story of the Bayfield community is one of faithful determination through these years. This building stands as a fine example of the faith and devotion of the community which by this time had become the main Anglican presence in the country. In fact, St. Mary’s become the parish church in 1856 when the new rectory was built in Little River following the sale of the first rectory in Antigonish. St. Mary-the-Virgin, Bayfield remained the parish church from 1856 to 1966 when the rectory was again moved to the town of Antigonish and the Church of Saint Paul-the-Apostle became the parish church for Antigonish County. (information gathered from writings by Fr. John Hodgins).

Today, the church continues to serve the community in a variety of ways, including hosting concerts, Music Royale, dinners, and craft sales. It continues to be one of the few fully active churches within the community, worshiping each Sunday and representing the ongoing Anglican presence in Bayfield.

We partner with the Bayfield Community Centre in offering community meals five times a year. We also coordinate the annual Ecumenical Blessing of the Fleet Service on the first Sunday of May.

St Paul's Anglican Church

The presence of an identifiable Anglican community in the Antigonish area can be traced back to the 1780’s. After the American War of Independence, Loyalist settlers established themselves along St. George’s Bay at Town Point and Bayfield. The first Anglican chapel was situated at Town Point and, today, the earliest European cemetery in these parts marks the spot of that rustic chapel.

In 1834 Thomas Hill Esq. donated a lot on Church Street in the village of Antigonish to be used as a burial ground for Anglicans. An Anglican Church was built on the site in 1842, but was replaced by 1898 by the present structure. To the best of our knowledge, no photographs or descriptions of the old church have survived. There are even conflicting versions about what happened to the structure itself. Was it destroyed by fire? Was it pulled down, or moved off the site for another purpose? Whatever the case, the Byzantine brass cross above the tabernacle, dedicated to St. Paul’s first rector, belonged to the earlier structure.

Today’s church was built according to the plans of parishioner Gustavus Bernasconi by Antgonish carpenter Allen Gillis and John MacDonald, a local contractor and builder who owned a wood working factory.

Bernasconi (1845-1931), a Swiss-born civil engineer, was a graduate of Zurich Polytechnical College. After immigrating to Canada, Bernasconi entered the employ of the Department of Public Works where he was a one-time manager of the local branch of the Federal Public Works. He retired to Granville Ferry in 1923, where he died 8 years later.

Designing St. Paul’s, Bernasconi obviously drew on a number of available architectural sources. He may, for example, have been inspired by the work of the English-born Maritime architect William Critchlow Harris (1854-1913) whose ‘Gothic Revival’ style St. Paul’s certainly mirrors and who’s work was well known at the time. The exterior lines of St. Paul’s reflect Harris’ ‘Neo-Gothic’ influence more than its interior finish as Harris’ interior woodwork tends to be more refined that St. Paul’s simple oak communion rail, pine pews and pulpit, and spruce grove and wainscoting.

Others have stated that Bernasconi’s ‘cottage style’ church was inspired by the ‘alpine architecture’ of his native Switzerland. This may in part be true, but it is easy enough to see that most of the stylistic features displayed by St. Paul’s are familiar in smaller Maritime churches of similar vintage.

‘Gothic Revival’ or ‘Neo Gothic’ elements in St. Paul’s include the steeply pitched roof, the exposed timber ceiling, the saddle back tower, the pointed steeple, the arched gabled narthex, the lancet windows in both the chancel and nave, and the decorative shingle and iron work outside. Today’s red and grey paint is also faithful to the original design, as is the varnished wood on the inside.

Throughout this region and beyond, Gothic Revival church architects favored asymmetrical design, and most especially ‘off center’ steeples, main entrances, and windows. Thoese innovations were used to great effect, creating, it was felt, new and unexpected perspectives. Originally they were meant as a reaction against the austere, even cold, classical lines found in many earlier church buildings. What is interesting from the point of view of Church architecture is that, more than any other Protestant denomination in this province, Anglicans from 1850 onward, showed a decided preference for the irregular shapes Gothic embellishments entailed. The half-timber detailing and simple stick-work of the interior are part of this overall concept, the basic integrity of which is still intact today.

Edward M. Langille

December 2002
Revised 2010